PLATEAUS & SHORTCOMINGS, FINALLY OVERCOME EM!

This article delves into improving and developing your weaknesses in and out of the gym!

We all have our own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to our own physiques. Some naturally have better genetics than others but more often than not we all have those stubborn body parts that battle to grow or shape up, it's definitely not uncommon. Some try all different types of methods with very little to no success this is especially true when it comes to woman. This article is intended for both male and female.

Lagging body parts: Now how many times have I seen these huge bodybuilders with small calves? Very often. it is not on purpose I guarantee but genetics. I am not making an excuse but as mentioned earlier it's to do with genetics. It's very hard to change the way you were designed and some stubborn body parts just grow extremely slowly, again we are all different no one is perfect. I have seen impressive results personally and from other top calibre athletes doing these methods. Now this article is for those wanting to learn or just starting out, knowledge is power.

Train your weak body part/s more than once a week: Now at first this may sound excessive but the fact is the more you target your weakness the more chance you have for it to grow

. It also varies Depending on how many years you have been training. I dont expect a beginner to hit everybody part so this is more for someone who has a few years of pumping iron behind them to fully know what is/are the major lagging body part/s. Hitting a body part twice a week is effective especially if you are accustomed to tr

aining the usual 1 body part every other day. Training it twice a week can force more muscle damage and recruitment and if your nutrition is on point then more growth is the end result. It may seem simple but it is effective, smaller lagging body parts can be trained up to 3 times weekly ie calves and forearms. But again assess your recovery, if you dont give your body the time it needs to recover then you be very prone to injury and poor recovery. So, train your weakness the beginning and at least 2/3 days later.

Try different training methods: sounds simple but execution is vital here. some see it done in books without knowing the real method ie eccentric training, drop sets, giant sets etc. Know

ing the proper method again is key. The most important about different methods is to be open to them all, as we respond differently to different training methods. The best advice I can offer is to try each and by feel/look you will know which is the best edition to your workout. NEVER use methods like eccentric or giant sets, drop Sets to dominate your workout as these are solely additions that can influence muscle growth by shocking the body, which added stress on the muscle one can easily be a victim to injury - warm up properly, use proper form and don't train over heavy where form is sacrificed and so too gainz!

Dumbbell and barbells: Another trick one can use for lagging body parts is the simple method of switching it up. Everyone is different some like to use more dumbbell dominated exercises and rarely use the barbell or the other way around. The trick here is to be the other way, mix it up - if you do 70% barbell exercises than switch that to dumbbell exercises. Its about shocking the body and switching it up to the less familiar which can lead to muscle growth.

Switch your training routine up: If it aint broke don't fix it - is something few stay true too. Very rarely would you hear of someone training the same daily for decades. Switching your routine to different body parts on different days is one of the simplistic yet underrated methods in strength and muscle again. If you're stuck in a rut and battle to surpass your previous best lifts or just aren't improving, switching up your routine entirely is something that should not be overlooked but incorporated for muscle growth and strength as it's all about change.

Add or switch up your Pre-Workout: I won't lie this seems like a marketing scheme - but it's not lol. I was off stimulants for a good couple of months and with this break you know it was good for my adrenal glands etc. but the lack of drive and focus really had me tripping and failing to train as intense as I should be. Not that I am an addict for stimulants or any nonsense like that but I feel an addition of a preworkout is not only healthy but extremely beneficial when it comes not only to muscle growth but also focus and a deep sense of wellbeing. I still to this day confide in TNT Hydroblast, as it not only boosts my strength but the extra energy I have to exert on each of my exercises leaves nothing left to the imagination. It is not all in the mind and with this I reach out to all those straying away from pres simply don't let pride get in the way of your gains, it's all about improvisation. Simply more energy and focus with clinical dosing will lead to better strength gains, muscle pumps, endurance and even fat loss. Its sometimes the smallest additions that cause the most profound effects!

Play around with your repetitions/sets: Each has their own views on repetitions some enjoy their set ways when it comes to sets and reps. The only issue is when one hits a training plateau and results and strength either stay the same or slowly diminish. The fact once again is that change is good, with the addition to switching up training routine, changing your rep and set range will aid in you beating any plateau that is blocking you from gainz. Ideal rep ranges for Hypertrophy (12-8 reps) Strength (6-1 reps) Endurance (15+ reps) Now if you have been doing the ideal rep range for your ideal goals and have hit the wall, its ideal to mix it up with random strength and endurance reps here and there, again its all about switching it up. Be careful of overtraining and keep an eye on your recovery, a switch up will have the body in a bit of a mess as its getting used to your new found methods.

Don't be afraid to go light: This may sound a bit hypercritical but hear me out, I love lighter weights AT TIMES as I know with exercises like front, side dumbbell (db) raises and db kickbacks etc. it requires strict form without the excessive weight load and improper form, I find the mind/muscle connection is at its peak and I work the muscles a lot better than excessive weights. I feel its important to make the right choices when going light exercises that involve radical stretching such as db flies require a premium stretch and don't require the weights used in db presses etc, Injury is a lot more common on lifts that do not require excessive weight loads. Ego lifting has no place only proper form and lifting the correct weights for the correct exercises

Don't go too heavy: Like the above point, this is very much similar. Lifting heavy is not only the quickest way to getting gains but also extremely motivating. The only drawback is improper form and the excessive possibility of injury, I believe compound lifts require all your strength and effort and essential for growth, But never do more than what you believe you can. Its normal to try and best your strength but when that covers common sense it can become very dangerous especially if you train at home or by yourself. The key here is to be sensible and small improvements weekly are still improvements and need to recognized as success.

Going heavy is great, but do not sacrifice your form! Injuries occur most when trying to lift too heavy with improper form!

Emphasize on stretching/posing: This is something that I needed to add in as its something totally neglected. Focus on stretching between sets (nothing hectic) and a combo of posing and stretching post workout to enhance blood flow to your worked muscles and to continue the assault on your targeted muscles. This isn't only good for perfecting your posing and presentation but good for muscle growth especially if you have always neglected it in the past, it's all about switching it up for the best muscle growing experience.

Eating/sleeping/supplementing properly: One of the most important steps by far. Neglecting the first two is extremely diabolical as one can kiss their efforts away if they ignore eating properly and getting in at least 6/8 hours of sleep daily. Your body requires proper macro nutrients for recovery and performance such as carbohydrates, protein and fat, neglecting either one is a foolish act each has their own function to lead you toward your goals and ambitions. Not only will the correct foods propel you forward in gainzville but also assist with muscle recovery, strength, fatloss and general wellbeing. Sleep is just as important, during your sleep you grow and recover not to mention the GH is released whilst you sleep. Without sufficient sleep you won't only feel shit but you will raise your cortisol level (stress hormone) which is a very bad idea. Not only is it bad for gainz but it will also make you gain fat, you won't recover as fast as you should and you will be in a catabolic state (muscle loss) which is something one needs to avoid at all costs. It may sound like I'm fabricating it a tad but if done constantly the lack of results will be definitely apparent and lack of sleep is also linked to a lower life expectancy. Supplementation is also a very real factor and an effective one at that if utilised properly. Whey protein, creatine monohydrate and omega 3s to me are seen as staples if finances approve things like a pre workout and a top notch EAA are worthy additions.